Never Take for Granted

As I sit here, my heart is heavy for this world, for my family, and for my children.

I've witnessed many upsetting things in this life.  I've seen people like you and me treated horribly. I've seen favor given to those that are not deserving. I've cried for the hurting, prayed for those in need, and have offered a hand to hold when life became unbearable. My life has been changed in so many ways. I am amazed today, of how much more there has been to learn about life and how blessed we have been to have been raised in our great country, that isn't acting so great right now.

Eyes have been blinded.  Hearts have been hardened. People have been forgotten, and cast aside. Inward focus has become the way to live. It's in the what's best for me, how does it benefit me mentality that I've watched our great country forget who we truly are. Our rights and what offends us  seems to be more important than anything in front of us.

So, what I want to say, is really directly for my family, my big kids specifically.

You are privileged beyond belief. You were born in a country that offers things you have taken for granted.  Not because you are selfish, but, because you may not know any better.  I suppose we, as your parents didn't realize how important it was to impress upon you this knowledge.  After all, we got so caught up in life that we forget to realize that great big world existed outside of our own little families daily comings and goings.  We raised you in a christian home, that by no means was perfect, but with hearts that wanted to perfectly follow Christ in all we did.  We sought out direction and wisdom from God and stuck to whatever path He would lead us on, never knowing what the future held.  We prayed daily for each of you, and were grateful for each day we had with every one of you. We raised you to pray, think and believe for yourselves what God would have for you. We did our best to show you the right way to live, and sometimes the wrong ways to live by some of our actions. We taught you to save, and that nothing comes for free.  Hard work and dedication would be essential in your life, and we worked to model that daily. You had opportunities for education, that sometimes you begrudgingly faced day after day. I made you do things you didn't want to do, because it was right.  We taught you to love others, and to be a light.  We did all we could think to do as we brought you up to be the best you could possibly be.  I believe with all of my heart the most important of these things was to love God and love others, and I see each of you modeling that.

But....

Do you know there are people in this world who aren't free to worship God as you do?

Do you know that there are people in this world that don't know how to read, write, or even do simple math?

Do you know that there are people in this world that have been told they will never be more than the lowest of the low, because of where they are born?

Do you know that some people will work all their life harder than you could ever imagine, for pay you would scoff at?

There are those that have leaky roofs over their one room dirt floored home, filled with their families of 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.  Can you even imagine what that would be like?  All their life, this is how they have lived, because it's all they can afford, and no matter how hard they work, that will NEVER change?

There are people who live on so little to eat after working long days for little pay that they forego their food so their children will be less hungry. You do not know the hunger they feel daily.

These people exist. I see it every day. My eyes have been opened, and my heart broken.

Our biggest concern so often is what so and so didn't do for us, and the reason we are in the situations we are in is because of someone else.  I don't see any of the people I am speaking of blaming any one.  They work hard, for little, and they do it with a smile.  They are genuinely grateful for all they have, even though it is so little.

So, my dear kids, I pray you really grasp what I am saying to you and hope you really digest this:

You live in a country that gives you the freedom to worship.  So, worship with all your heart, and really be a light. It's a privilege, do not take it for granted.  There are some who can't worship and believe like you do, even if they want to.

You live in a country that allows all to have an education.  Now, you are mostly done with your early years of school, but be thankful you were able to learn to read, write and do simple math, and advance on to harder and more challenging things.  It's a privilege not afforded to all, and being able to read is a gift many would be happy to have. The privilege does not stop there...

You live in a country that allows you to advance yourself as much as you want educationally through university, and onward through your working years to be as successful as you work for. Do not take for granted the low paying job you start with, because if you are willing to work hard, that low paying job will grow you to be prepared for more.  It is not beneath you, no job is beneath you, so be happy and thankful you have a paycheck and an opportunity to work and move up to greater things one day. You have an opportunity to be as much as you are willing to work hard to be, where many are not. Take the tools you have in your free country to make yourself something more than you dreamed.  It may not come easy, but it will be worth it, and you will be proud of yourself.

Look people in the eye, and be confident. There are some who have been told they aren't good enough to look anyone in eyes when they are speaking or being spoken to. Can you imagine walking around and never looking up to see a smile on a persons face, or just a glance of approval from someone? I assure you, there are those that walk looking down and avoid all eye contact, because they are told they are less than. Never forget to look at people, and really see them.  You have eyes that allow you to see, so ask that the Lord open your eyes to see clearly.

Can you imagine living in a world where no one tells you they are proud of you, or that you can achieve what you are willing to work for?  A world where no one tells you that you are loved, and that you aren't worthless? There are people who are never told anything encouraging, and work with their head down for pennies.  They aren't thanked, and do not work for promotion, they just work to eat that day, and to hope to send money home to help feed someone else, while they go without.

Do you see the picture I am painting?

You have the opportunity to aim for the sky and the tools to get there, if you so choose. Don't take it for granted. Don't throw away opportunity because you think it's too hard or takes too much work.  Do whatever it takes to make the best of the things you are able to do to make a good life for you and your families.  Take responsibility for you and where you go in life.  Be willing to work hard, even if it means doing something you don't want to do for a time.  There are people in this world that would be overjoyed for the things you think are useless, and a waste of your time.

The little things like not living in the perfect neighborhood, or having to work at a job you don't like, or writing a paper that you feel is a waste of time, is actually all a gift.  Do all you do to the best of your ability.  Wear a smile on your face that you have a chance at a better life because of these steps you have to take to get there.  Never forget you are no better than those I speak of who have little and work harder than you will ever have to work in your life.  I know without a doubt, if these that I am talking about were to have the opportunities you have, they would cry out in joy and work until their hands were bleeding to make it happen.  No one owes you anything, it is solely up to you for where you go from here, so do all you do, with your best.

Look at the people around you and realize they may be hurting, and just trying to make it.  Be grateful for a family that believes in you, and raised you to be strong God fearing people with all the tools needed to succeed in life by doing our best to model the very things I am speaking of.

I do not say these things because I think you are ungrateful, I say them because we often forget how blessed we are to have the chance to make our lives better through hard work. I am proud of each of you. I love each of you and I believe God has great things for each one of you and your future families.

If we stop expecting and start doing, we can see the world and our country become a better and greater place to be. Our mindset must change so we can be all we were created to be. We have to stop talking, and thinking and start doing.  Sometimes that means doing hard things.  Be willing to do the hard things. Be willing to let God use you to be a difference in the world and to those around you.  Open your eyes that you may see more clearly where our own hearts need to change.

Never take for granted the life you have. Own who you are, and take responsibility. You are valuable, amazing kids, with a heart to do what God wants in your life. Now go do the work it takes, because you are free to do that work, and worship Him with all that is in you and because you are free to worship Him. We raised you the best we knew how.  Now learn from the good things and the not so great things in that and go forward, grateful that you can live the life you build, and never be held back because of where you were born.

My love for you all grows more every day, and I could not be more blessed to have you in my life. The greatest gift I was ever given was each and every one of my kids of whom I am so very proud. I believe in each of you and look forward to seeing who you become as adults. I want to close this with these last couple of thoughts:

Do not waste it. You are valuable. Be a LIGHT.

While you are at it, pray for those that are so much less fortunate than you, that someone, somewhere, somehow, will be a light to them.



P.S..... I will never stop mothering you.  Take it or leave it, it's what a mom does. xoxoxo